Su Su Waterfall Fried Chicken — Restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City

This could very well have been the best fried chicken I have ever tasted in my life. This place specializes in cơm gà xối mỡ which is fried chicken and rice, but their version is referred to as “waterfall chicken” because of the way it’s cooked. We learned about Cơm gà xối mỡ Su Su and the unique way they cook chicken from the second episode of Luke Nguyen’s Street Food Asia.

This is the red rice they serve with the fried chicken. The owner, pictured here, was showing me the machine he invented which automatically stirs the rice so it doesn’t burn. It was pretty cool, though not as impressive as the machine he invented to fry the chicken.

Behold the genius invention used to fry their chicken! At the flip of a switch, hot oil (around 180°C) would shower down from the top of the machine onto poached chicken wings or thighs. The oil would go through the screen and back into the pool below before being sent back up again. He would leave the chicken under this waterfall of oil for a few minutes not necessarily to cook it, since it’s already been poached in a master stock, but to supremely crisp up the skin. Genius!

There’s no arguing with the results. You can tell just by looking at this picture how delicately crisp that chicken skin is. And because it wasn’t deep-fried, it isn’t oily. It was so frikking good, especially when dipped in that dark homemade sauce. We weren’t sure exactly what’s in it but it’s savory sweet and very garlicky, kinda like soy sauce with teriyaki and oyster sauce, maybe some hoisin and other spices. This is the kind of dish I would definitely look for on every return visit to Saigon. ♥

The genius behind Saigon’s waterfall fried chicken. We didn’t catch his name but he was clearly passionate about his food and his inventions. Cơm gà xối mỡ Su Su was awesome and in our opinion, a must-eat in Saigon. Many blog posts still list the old address so be sure to refer to the restaurant’s new address just beneath...

Not only is this specialty crispy fatty juicy fried chicken delicious.. the place is a total gem. Air conditioning (AC, for those searching this term!) is clutch in the brutal heat, yet it retains a classic stripped down humble food stall vibe without needing to be a fancy modern place to have such amenities. Staff were incredibly friendly, smiley, and welcoming. They spoke English well and were very easy to order from and interact with, yet we were the only tourists and all others were locals. Clear this is a genuine experience. Extremely affordable, and a highlight of my food experiences on my trip so far. Seaweed soup is also addicting, indescribably comforting start to the meal. You can see the ‘waterfall’ oil frying technique right in front when you walk up.

There is also a cool little hidden groovy cocktail bar tucked in across the alley from it. In a sea of street food stalls and modern big city restaurants, it can be tough to sift through the noise. Without a doubt this one is worth...

Taste ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Place ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Price $ (around 45k for single meal)

They cook the chicken by oilfall (not waterfall). This makes the chicken skin so crispy, I like it. However the inside will be so oily for some people. Avoid it if you don't like oily food.

The food only fried chicken. Yes, nothing else. The chicken also only have drumsticks and wings for you to choose. By default they will give you drumsticks. But the chicken is not meaty. So don't expect it like some McDonald's or KFC chicken.

You can buy in meal or only chicken. You can buy another rice or soup if you want more. The rice is kind of tomato ketchup fried rice. I'm lucky that I got freshly cooked rice so it's not too dry. (Because they will cook for some portions and let it stirred in the cooking machine to keep it hot)

If you want to try their special sauce, then come. It has quite unique taste and match with the meal. Or if you're looking for cheap meal with familiar taste.

Otherwise the place may disappointing you as other...